Engagement assistant - university development

Grand Rapids, MI (Pew Campus)Allendale, MI

Full Time

R103097

The Engagement Assistant plays a vital role in supporting the presidential and donor engagement team, ensuring seamless donor relations and delivering impactful events. This position manages communications, database maintenance, scheduling, purchasing, expense reporting, and event logistics. Success in this role requires exceptional attention to detail, strong proofreading and editing skills, and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple complex tasks. This role requires a proactive problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to build relationships across diverse teams are essential, as well as flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to learn quickly. This position reports to the Senior Director for Executive and External Engagement and alternates between working on the Allendale Campus and the Pew Grand Rapids Campus.

Essential Functions

• Assist the engagement team with administrative tasks including reconciling expense card transactions, tracking mileage, and processing expense reports.
• Track expenditures, process invoices, and assist with budget planning.
• Support the engagement team in planning and executing donor and presidential events, ensuring high-quality experiences.
• Serve as the primary point of welcome for guests attending meetings and events at the President's Residence. Provide staffing support at the residence, assists with setup and preparation, and ensure thorough cleanup and restoration of the residence post-event/meeting.
• Utilize CRM software to generate reports, update donor records, and track engagement.
• Schedule meetings, manage calendars, and arrange travel for the engagement team.
• Prepare agendas, presentations, and other materials for meetings and events.
• Responsible for coordination of mailing lists, creating registration forms, tracking RSVPs, creating event outlines, preparing event supplies, and tracking event tasks for the engagement team.
• Maintain the event calendar ensuring it is up to date and accurate.
• Organize mailings and manage marketing and communication projects including print, electronic, and multimedia content.
• Oversee the creation of event materials (name tags, menu cards, table numbers, giveaways, etc.).
• Supervise student staff and coordinate scheduling for event support.
• Submit photography and video requests and maintain a digital photo library for donor and event documentation.
• Develop and maintain relationships with vendors to ensure high-quality event execution.
• Oversee inventory and procurement of event materials, gifts, and supplies.
• Communicate professionally with faculty, staff, donors, and external stakeholders.
• Maintain organized digital and physical records, ensuring accuracy and accessibility.
• Manage multiple projects independently with ability to prioritize projects from multiple members of the engagement team, ensuring deadlines and deliverables are met.
• Support the engagement team at on-campus and off-campus events including evening and weekend hours as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Minimum of four years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated administrative and organizational skills.
• Experience with various computer software applications such as Microsoft Office and/or equivalent.
• Data entry experience.
• Typing and spelling competency with grammar and proofreading skills.
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully provide quality customer service.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully work independently, organize own work and coordinate work activities of others.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully coordinate large projects.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully handle multiple demands efficiently.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully organize and prioritize workload.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully navigate challenging situations in the workplace, while using good judgement.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully maintain satisfactory work performance and attendance records.
• Ability to successfully maintain positive intercultural and interpersonal relationships.
  
  

Supervision Received: Receives minimal supervision from a designated supervisor. Much of the work is self-initiated. Person is expected to function with considerable independence and apply appropriate policies and procedures within the assigned area of responsibility.

Supervision Exercised: Hire, train, schedule and coordinate the work of student employees and may act as lead worker to PSS staff members within the department/unit/division.

Working Conditions

Typical office environment, Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with occasional evening and weekend hours providing support at on-campus and off-campus events as needed.

Campus : Grand Rapids

Job Classification & Benefits: C4 Level. Minimum starting wage of $22.04 per hour

• including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, generous employer retirement contributions, wellness resources and tuition waiver effective on date of hire.
  
  

How to Apply: Please include a cover letter and resume. The system will allow you to attach these documents electronically. If you have questions about the position or the posting, please contact University Development at 616-331-6000 or mailto:[email protected]. If you need technical assistance, please contact Human Resources at mailto:[email protected] or 616-331-2215.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Application Deadline: Application closes Wednesday June 25th at 11:59 p.m. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

Grand Valley State University is an Antidiscrimination/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for racial and ethnic minorities, women, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.

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